Wrist support during violin playing



Sept. 4, 1956 K. G. KUCHLER ET AL WRIST SUPPORT DURING VIOLIN PLAYING Filed May 14, 1954 INVENTOR a 'In ATTORNEYS United States Patent WRIST SUPPURT DURING VIOLIN PLAYING Kenneth G. Kuchler, Ogden, and Howard G. Hutchinson, Salt Lake City, Utah Application May 14, 1954, Serial No. 429,725

1 Claim. (Cl. 84-281) This invention relates to a wrist support designed to be attached to a violin at a point where the neck of the violin connects with the body of the violin, the support being so constructed that it will extend to a point adjacent to the wrist of the arm holding the vioilin, to receive the wrist, supporting the wrist during the playing of the violin.

Another object of the invention is to provide a support of this character which is constructed of spring metal or other suitable spring material and constructed to receive the wrist of the person playing the violin, bracing the Wrist to enable a student to readily aquire a vibrato movement, which is one of the more difiicult movements to master in the fingering of a violin.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which may be readily sprung and clamped in position and secured in such clamped position by the resiliency of the clamping end of the device.

Still another object of the invention is to provide supporting means for the wrist of the player of a violin, which Will cause the hand of the player to assume a natural position while fingering or stopping the strings of the instrument.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawing Figure 1 is a view showing a wrist support constructed in accordance with the invention as secured to the neck of a violin, illustrating the application of the device.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevational view of the device attached to a violin.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmental perspective view of the device.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the device comprises a length of spring wire material constructed to provide a spring arm 5 which has at one of its ends a clamp 6, so constructed that it fits over the neck of the Patented Sept. 4-, 1956 violin with which it is used, at a point where the neck of the violin connects with the body of the violin.

As shown by Fig. 3 of the drawing, one end of the length of wire of which the spring arm 5 is formed, is bent laterally at '7, forwardly at 8 and again laterally in substantial parallel relation With the portion 7, providing an arm 9.

The arm 9 provides one portion of the clamp 6 and conmeets the jaw 10 with the laterally extended portion 7. The jaw 10 includes a vertical straight portion 11 and a vertical straight portion 12, disposed in substantially parallel spaced relation with respect to each other, the portions 11 and 12 being connected at their lower ends by the curved portion 13.

The free end of the vertical straight portion 12 is curved forwardly at 14 and then rearwardly at 1.5, and finally laterally at 16.

This spring clamp is so arranged that it will fit over the curved surface of the neck of the conventional violin in such a way as to clamp the neck and that portion of the violin adjacent thereto.

The spring arm 5 slopes downwardly from the upper portion of the clamp, and is of a length to extend to a point to receive the wrist of the fingering hand of the violin player, as the hand is positioned on the neck of the violin for playing.

In order that the spring arm will provide an adequate support, the free end of the spring arm is bent to provide a curved wrist engaging support 17, the support 17 and spring arm being so constructed that the arm 5 will vibrate and steady the movement of the wrist and hand to assist in executing what is commonly known in violin playing as the vibrato movement.

From the foregoing it will be seen that from the construction shown and described, I have provided a support which may be readily clamped to the neck of a violin at .the point of connection between the neck and body of the violin, the curved wrist engaging support 17 contacting the Wrist in such a way that the arm and Wrist will assume the proper position, and at the same time the device will act as a means for steadying the hand and wrist in teaching the vibrato movement.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed is:

A hand and Wrist support adapted to be attached to a violin neck adjacent to the body of the violin, comprising a length of resilient wire material, one end of the length of wire material being bent upon itself providing a yieldable clamp adapted to clamp over the neck of a violin, the other end of said length of wire material being extended at right angles to the axis of the length of wire material and curved longitudinally forming a wrist support.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,906,584 Hays May 2, 1933 

